The use of automation is increasing across many sectors of industry; none more so than aerospace. New materials and construction techniques are leading to new ways of using automated systems for assembly and inspection.

Additionally, new robots and robotic systems are being designed specifically for use in aircraft maintenance and inspection. These robots can reduce the amount of labour-intensive and monotonous tasks traditionally undertaken by the human workforce.

How is automation benefitting the aviation industry? Can it be applied to your existing facilities, relieving your workforce of need to take time on mundane work and allowing them to make better use of their flexibility and skills?

This Advanced Automation Briefing from the Emerald Aerospace Collection will show how automation can enhance your construction, maintenance and inspection facilities and procedures.

Contents:

Automated assembly of fuselage skin panels

This paper describes the development and testing of a system for the automated assembly of aircraft fuselage panels. The system uses a low-cost industrial robot and laser stripe sensor to assemble stringers on to a fuselage panel prior to riveting. The authors show that, with a combination of metrology and mathematical processing, standard industrial robots can be used to assemble aero-structure subassemblies, working within the tolerances required within the aerospace industry.

Originally published in Assembly Automation Volume 27 Number 4, 2007

Automatically building or repairing composite fibre structures

Leading companies in the design and construction of advanced composite fibre production machinery are teaming with other technology leaders to further automate the inspection, damage assessment and repair of composite fibre structures. Success appears to depend more on implementation and automation of known technologies and less on the development of totally new technology.

Originally published in Assembly Automation Volume 27 Number 3, 2007

Design of a climbing robot for inspecting aircraft wings and fuselage

The paper aims to develop a robot that climbs on non-ferrous surfaces, e.g. aircraft wings and fuselages, carrying a heavy payload up to 18 kg including scanning arm and various equipments, for non-destructive testing (NDT). The application of this robotic NDT can significantly reduce the cost of aircraft inspection, eliminate labour-intensive and monotonous inspection tasks, and eliminate the need for an operator to work in confined and dangerous spaces.

Originally published in Industrial Robot Volume 34 Number 6, 2007

By air, land and sea, the unmanned vehicles are coming

This paper presents a review of the AUVSI Conference and Show. The unmanned vehicle industry is largely driven by government requirements, both military and civilian with unmanned service robots found in applications as diverse as crop monitoring and fish school location at sea. This paper is based on in-depth interviews with exhibitors of unmanned vehicles and the providers of the technologies which are fundamental to their design and deployment.

Originally published in Industrial Robot Volume 34 Number 1, 2007

Collision avoidance technology: from parking sensors to unmanned aircraft

This paper presents a review of automobile-guidance research projects carried out in European universities and advanced safety vehicle development by Japanese car manufacturers. Current driver assistance systems are described. A new research initiative for autonomous unmanned aircraft is then discussed. This is looking to extend the use of unmanned aircraft into the civil field, and to allow them to share airspace with piloted planes.

Originally published in Sensor Review Volume 27 Number 3, 2007

Resonating gyroscopes: the next big challenge for MEMS technology

Traditionally used in aerospace and military applications, such as platform stabilisation of avionic systems, this paper describes the operation and historical development of MEMS gyroscopes and to consider their prospects in emerging high volume consumer markets. It is shown that technologically sophisticated MEMS gyroscopes are now in volume production and that prices are falling to a point where they may compete with accelerometers in rapidly developing consumer markets.

Originally published in Sensor Review Volume 27 Number 3, 2007